‘Hallyu’ tourists spend $2,100 on average

Published : 2014-06-29 21:09
Updated : 2014-06-29 21:09

Foreign tourists who visited South Korea to experience “hallyu,” or the Korean wave firsthand, spent an average $2,100 per person during their stay, a poll released by the Korea National Tourism Organization showed Sunday.

The survey was conducted by a dedicated local pollster on 1,230 tourists who visited the country this year.

Hallyu refers to South Korean pop songs, soap operas and movies that are popular abroad. Studies have shown that there may be over 3.3 million “hardcore” fans all across the world, with many in Asia, Europe and North America.

Broken down by where people spent money, the latest findings showed shopping accounting for the bulk at $983, followed by accommodation at $417.7. Food and drinks trailed third at $291.1, with travel agency fees and transportation costs within the country making up the rest. (Yonhap)